ROSEDALE IN APRIL
Chapter Fifteen
Rated NC-17 for Content
Tears of shame furiously streamed down creamy
ivory cheeks suffused with color. A powerful trembling overtook the Yankee’s
visibly shaken young mistress. He hadn’t uttered a single solitary word after
he had finished with her. Slaking his carnal desires and hastily discarding her
like a trashy used harlot. The damn dirty Yankee! The Captain wouldn’t
even meet her limpid glowing eyes…had intentionally avoided her sated stare.
After the heavenly paradise they had both just shared together…in that soul-searing
summit when he had violently shuddered his release, his mouth had
simultaneously breathed in her life’s force. But afterwards, he couldn’t get
out of the garconiere fast enough…almost as if he were fleeing a plague.
Leaving her cold, empty, and so alone with wounded pride, but moreover she felt
dirty and violated. She had been merely a warm available body to satisfy his
animalistic rutting lust upon! Aching and hurting, Rose refused to dwell on his
harsh callous treatment…not right now. There was a wedding to celebrate and Liz
would be crushed if she saw the red swollen eyes and her heart torn to shreds.
Taking a deep calming breath, Rose furiously wiped the tears away as she
clumsily pulled up the dress. Placing the bunch of roses in some water by the
nightstand, she neatly made the bed and with one last critical perusal, she
gingerly laid a lone yellow rose upon a white fluffy pillow as a gentle
reminder of her sister’s legacy.
*****
Jack furiously marched to the lagoon thankful
for the solitude and agitatedly began to disrobe to cleanse his body from the
flagrant reminders of the last passionate fifteen-minute encounter. Thoroughly
disgusted with himself, he didn’t stop to realize the precarious predicament
his stoic behavior had left the vulnerable girl struggling with. Scrubbing
himself, his teeth were clenched so tight his head began throbbing in pain from
the excessive pressure. At that precise moment, all he wanted to do was strip
away the layers of guilt and find the honorable man that he knew once existed
in the tormented soul of Jack Wilhelm Dalton. That man had to still
exist…somewhere amongst that evil dark need for revenge which had started this
fateful journey, a glimmer of decency must still be alive so as not to
totally destroy his inborn honor. All of a sudden, he was descended upon by
dozens of soldiers and male slaves alike…washing and bathing themselves for the
approaching wedding.
Hastily retreating to the banks, an abrupt
stab of sharp pain in Jack’s backside caused him to jump around rubbing the
stinging area before alertly attempting to find the source. A teasing
mischievous cackle erupted from Jacob as his small childish hand clamped over
his mouth. Nevertheless, the taunting juvenile guffaw begrudgingly emitted a
snort of amusement from the startled Captain. Jacob victoriously held up his
new slingshot from the mysterious fairy and began to flex his muscles as if he
had just won a hard fought battle!
"You try that at the ceremony, young’un,
and I know of one Nanny who’ll tan your backside!" Jack lightly warned
with a smirk marring his smarting countenance.
"Won’t bees de first time, Cap’um
Daw’un, an’ it sho’nuff won’t be de last!"
"I’m not surprised, Jacob! You related
by any chance to Miss Rose?" Jack amusedly asked while his azure eyes
danced in mutual playfulness.
Shrugging his slight shoulders, Jacob
hollered in answer, "I s’pect everybody be kin to everybody round dere
some way or ‘nother, don’t chu reckon, Cap’un?"
After the others had finally cleared out,
only Sam was left at the peaceful bathing hole. He had been the last to arrive
and his person smelled heavily of hickory smoke from the roasting of four
robust young hogs. Sam was also to proudly perform the ceremony tonight as an
ordained minister. No easy feat for this day and age, but with the assistance
of Mistress Sable all those years ago, and with his own diligence in studying
the gospel, he was now able to teach his own people the power of God’s grace.
Softly humming a hymn, he was running the sermon through his head practicing
for the upcoming nuptials, when he suddenly heard twigs snapping nearby.
Alertly, he warily turned. It was then that Rafael Bouvier quietly crept out of
the surrounding thick forests. "Sam…over here!"
"Missah Rafael, where youse been lately?
I tries to finds you fo’ the last few days at de camp but yo’ Mamma says youse
be gone!" Sam’s broad shoulders sagged in apparent relief at the identity
of the hidden stalker.
"I know, Sam, I’ve been away trying to
finally right some past wrongs. But, Sam, what are Yankees doing at Rosedale?
Can’t see their point for being this far west," Rafael curiously and
concernedly inquired.
"Don’t rightly know, Missah Rafael. We’s
all s’pect dat Mister Grant sent dem heres to protect Miz Rose…course, Miz Rose
has other ideas why deys here."
"Like what, Sam?" Rafael crouched
down on his haunches, dark brown eyes slightly narrowed, chewing on a blade of
grass.
"She figures dat rich Yankee man she
bein’ forced to marry sent dem here to destroy us, Missah Rafael."
"Why would he do that? The blond headed
man that’s attached himself to Rose. That’s not Major Henley I suppose."
"Youse sees him afore jest now?"
Sam curiously questioned.
"Yes, Sam. Unfortunately, I have."
Glaring at the exact lovers’ spot just across from where they were conversing,
the pit of his stomach threatened to revolt at the disturbing memory.
"Dat Cap’un Daw’un. He and dem Yankees
comes dere to burn us out…but Miz Rose stops him fo’ he coulds."
"How did she accomplish that,
Sam?" Rose’s father’s suspicious glinting eyes were now merely a sliver of
brown.
"Well you knows, Miz Rose. Iz reckons
she done gone and made a deal wid de Cap’un."
"What kind of deal, Sam?" As
the hackles began to rise upon the back of his neck and an obvious catch could
be detected in his tightening throat.
Embarrassed, knowing the true relationship of
the handsome dark complexioned gypsy to his fair skinned mistress, Sam blushed
like a young schoolboy. "Miz Rose done gone and bargained herself to dat
Cap’un Daw’un. Iz be purty sho of dat! Dey share de same bed at night and all.
Itz no secret arounds dere. Figured youse might needs to knows dat, Missah
Rafael."
Of course, Rafael was very cognizant of the
revolting fact regarding Rose and the Yankee Captain’s intimacy but
nevertheless paled at the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s romantic
interlude.
"Sam, tell Rose that I urgently need to
talk with her. I realize tonight wouldn’t be the safest most opportune time
with the wedding going on and all. But midnight tomorrow at Boggy Slough.
Please tell her for me and by all means to come alone." Rafael rubbed the
back of his neck trying to soothe the knots that had settled there since
inadvertently coming upon Rose and the Yankee Captain locked in the throes of
heated passion the night before.
"But, Missah Rafael, telling hers no
problem. De problem iz hers gettin’ aways from Cap’un Daw’un, ‘specially at
night!"
"I also know my daughter, Sam. She’ll
find a way…somehow. She doesn’t know the meaning of failure when she sets her
mind to do something."
"Yessaw…youse right bout dat fo’
sho’!" Chuckling the two men departed certain that the other would somehow
succeed in their perspective mission. Although Rafael Bouvier had a very uneasy
premonition what the results of their secretive meeting might ascertain, and
consequently, he didn’t like what he sensed not one damn bit.
*****
Soothing romantic classical piano music
drifted through the spring evening mists from within the whitewashed walls of
Rosedale’s tiny chapel. When the Colonel was not in attendance at the
plantation, it doubly served as a schoolhouse for the Negro children. Captain
Jack Dalton with Nanny on his arm admirably smiled at the jovial atmosphere of
gaiety, laughter and celebration beaming from every guest present. Abruptly,
without warning, the mismatched pair were roughly jostled by a small off
balanced boy, yet Nanny somehow managed to grab Jacob by the ear with her free
hand scolding him each and every step!
"Gives me dat slingshot, boy! Iz fixin’
to wear dat backside of youse out! You behaves yo’self…youse hear yo’
Nanny?"
"Ouch, Nanny! Dis was my gift from de
tooth fairy! Iz didn’t mean to, Jedediah pushed me!" Jacob pitifully
squealed in protest hoping to justify his innocent shenanigans. However, game
over. Twisting his ear, Nanny never relented but shook her plump index finger
in warning at a fleeing Jedediah. "Youse next, Jedediah! Youse better run
fo’ Iz catch youse!"
"Iz gonna whup dat fairy, too, Jacob,
jest as soon as Iz sees her!" Jack couldn’t help but silently snicker at
her comical disciplinary actions. But the poor boy was just being a boy
so the Captain sought to intervene on the lad’s behalf despite having just
previously warned the rambunctious boy to forgo the mischief for the evening. For
someday, he might have a son…and the Captain visibly flinched at the
thought.
"Now, Nanny, let me handle young
Jacob, tonight. Let go of his ear…he can sit by me." Shifting towards the
injured whining boy, Jack cocked a threatening dark brow. "You’ll behave,
Jacob? No slingshots till after the ceremony and then…tell you what. You and I
can hide out and stalk Sergeant Ryan and get him good, all right?"
"Yassaw, Cap’un Daw’un, we’s a shoot da
Sergeant right wheres Iz shots youse downs ats the pond dis evenin’! Iza
behaves right now. Youse cans holds my weapon, too!"
"Deal…now hand it over and be quiet
during the ceremony. Is that clear? Now give me your hand and walk on the other
side of me."
Patting the young boy’s curly topped head,
Jack chuckled at the mischief simmering just beneath the surface of the now
gaped tooth cherubic face turned up in gratitude and admiration. He was taken
aback and honestly felt he didn’t deserve such praise...from anybody for that
matter! Because in truth, he felt like such an unimaginable bastard right then!
Nevertheless, escorting both inside the church, they made their places on the
front pew and sat down to await the arrival of bride and groom.
Rose refused to look in Jack’s direction for
very long. She realized he was sitting between her Nanny and little Jacob and
was slightly touched and a bit miffed at the same time. The intense pain still
had a stronghold on her cracking heart and she just couldn’t face the undeniable
source of her hurtful dilemma. Not yet. For later…it was inevitable. This was
Lizzie’s special day, and there was no time or energy left for useless
self-pity.
Guilt ridden eyes kept resting of their own
accord upon the beautiful enchanting pianist. Rose was like a breath of fresh
spring air, dressed in the palest of yellow with the same color entwined like a
halo through the rich shiny copper curls that fell below her waist. He soon
realized she was smiling slightly as she ran her slender fingers over the ivory
and ebony keys, but it didn’t quite reach her soulful eyes. And then it hit him
like a ton of bricks, what exactly he had done to her just barely an hour ago.
It felt like an eternity had passed since they had made love in the garconiere.
No, he corrected himself, what he had done to her would never be considered
love in no shape or form, especially to a woman like Rose. A heavy weight
descended upon his sagging shoulders and Jack knew he had to make things right.
Somehow…some way…
A jabbing elbow caught him just below the
ribs that startled Jack out of his silent revelry.
"Cap’un Yankee, I gots something on my
mind and Iz jest gonna says it."
"Please do, Nanny. I’m all ears,"
Jack graciously conceded as he slightly lowered his head to listen intently to
what she was about to convey.
"You makes dis a habit of goin arounds
deflowerin’ young girls and leavin’ dems like dey is po’ white trash? Hope you
knows dat no respectable gent gonna marry my babe, now! Ceptin’ maybe ones dat
will punish hers fo’ givin’ herself to a Yankee man out of wedlock and dose
wanting hers money and land. But I guess dey’ll be plenty those after dis here
war is over. Yassaw, didn’t think of dat till jest now. Be aplenty young bucks,
and old ones too, come calling den but not caring what Miz Rose wants and sho’
nuff not respectin’ hers as a lady anymo’. Treat my honey chile like…"
Nanny couldn’t finish her stinging albeit heartrending admonishment before huge
tears began rolling down her chubby black cheeks.
Stunned, Jack didn’t know what to say,
completely speechless and gut punched. He felt like the wind had literally been
knocked out of his diaphragm. The room stood stock-still and his stomach
twisted into knots while his heart plummeted to this feet. For in actuality, he
ironically was no better than Major Caledon Henley was! And Nanny had just
inadvertently reminded him of that cold hard nasty fact. Chewing his bottom
lip, he took out a monogrammed starched white handkerchief and gallantly
offered it to Rose’s Negro governess.
"Here, dry those eyes, Nanny. Don’t
worry so, your mistress will be taken care. I can assure you of that!"
Before she could question as to how he
intended to "take care of the matter," Jacob peeked his little head
around Jack’s body to glimpse his grandmother’s tears.
"Nanny…whatchu cryin’ fo’? Lizzie jest
gettin’ hitched. No big deal! ‘Sides she ain’t even in dere yet! Don’t cry,
Nanny cause we’s fixin’ to eats enough to last us till Christmastime. Dat’ll
makes you happy." Fondly looking up at the Captain, Jacob confidentially
whispered in his newfound hero’s ear for emphasis, "Nanny likes to eat,
Cap’un Daw’un."
Emitting a soft chuckle from the emotionally
distraught woman, nevertheless, Nanny cuffed him lightly on the back of his
head and gently scolded, "Hush, boy! Cap’un Daw’un promised to keep youse
in line. Now ifn he can’t do de job, Iza jest achin’ to take it up!"
Jack Dalton threw back his tawny hatless head
in good-natured guffaws. Rose heard the deep masculine sound and nervously
almost hit the wrong key. The Captain seemed to always have that disturbing
affect on her…constantly rattling her composure when she at least expected or
desired it.
The actual ceremony only lasted a few
poignant minutes. After singing Liz’s favorite love song, Rose had stood beside
her sister as the familiar vows were repeated and an honest smile at last
reached her twinkling green orbs. Afterwards, a huge feast awaited the crowd
and Fabrizio di Rossi immediately sought out the object of his boyish
infatuation by preparing a plate for the auburn headed mistress of Rosedale.
Dancing soon followed and Rose was gratefully diverted from her previous heart
wounds by the lively music and companionship of her extended family and
friends. In the middle of one particular waltz, Jack suddenly cut in and
possessively took Rose in his arms twirling her around the thick grass carpeted
lawns as if they were gliding across a lavish ball room floor. A myriad of
stars twinkled brightly up above, yet those in the Captain’s eyes outshone them
all.
"You look breathtaking tonight, Rose.
Having a good time?"
"Thank you and yes, I’m having a
fantastic time, Captain. It’s been a long while since there’s been a wedding or
party for that matter at Rosedale."
Jack suddenly flushed at the innocent
reminder. Clearing his throat, he was about to say something, when Tommy Ryan
abruptly cut in. And that was the way it went for the remainder of the
celebration, never having her in his arms but for a solitary moment before someone
else enthusiastically whisked her away out of his grasp but never out of his
sight. He couldn’t understand this intense feeling that was locked tight inside
his chest. For he refused to believe in love at first sight. That fairy tale
notion was for sentimental fools. He had known her less than a week for God’s
sake. But what that uncomfortable mysterious emotion was, he stubbornly refused
to accept as truth. Not him…it had to be just guilt, shame, and lust…all three
combined to make for a very confused Yankee Captain. Nothing else…nothing more.
Sometime later that night, Jack found her
pristinely perched on the upstairs balustrade just outside the French doors
leading to the master’s chambers. Rose had thought she was slipping away
unseen; however, one pair of observant blue eyes followed every step she took
and every move she made. Staring up into the starry sky as if she were
memorizing its every minute detail, Jack stood in the shadows admiring her
surreal beauty. Again, he cleared his throat announcing his presence in order
not to frighten her before hesitantly advancing to stand beside her.
"You better be careful up there, Rose.
You could fall," he concernedly warned.
"Doubtful, Captain Dalton. I’ve been
doing this for seventeen years now," she nonchalantly quipped, not
surprised to see him there in the least bit…almost as if she was waiting for
him.
"Is that your age? Just seventeen?"
If it were possible, Jack’s chest locked tighter.
"Yes, as of April Fool’s day as a matter
of fact."
"Somehow that doesn’t surprise me."
Jack softly chuckled before uncomfortably averting his guilt ridden eyes.
Purposefully refusing to take his teasing
bait for the sting of his earlier rejection was still festering like an open
wound, she crooked a finely arched brow in obvious annoyance. "What’s on
your mind, Captain? Are you ready now for more sexual copulation? How about
right here on the porch railing and when you’re finished, you can just run on
back to the party like nothing ever happened! Once in a day is never enough for
you, is it?"
Jack visibly paled, shocked at her derisive
sneering words. Of course, he knew he well deserved it. Hell, he warranted a
lot more than just a harsh admonishment but it surprised him for some reason
just the same. He would rather she just slap the devil out of him than just sit
there with damning eyes daring him to…well…he didn’t know what she wanted! An
apology? There was only one thing to do.
"Rose, I’ve decided to release you from
our little…uh…arrangement. I’ll remove my things and sleep in the garconiere
until we leave."
"I hardly think that’s possible now,
Captain Dalton. Lizzie and Charles will be using it until we can build them a
proper house."
"Then I’ll just bunk in with my men. No
problem…won’t be the first time," Jack graciously conceded yet not sure
how he would ever make good on the unwilling promise.
"So you now prefer to sleep
alone?" Emerald eyes shot sparks of fire while her voice literally hissed.
"Not really…just trying to make
amends," Jack truthfully tried to defer, exhaling a deep pensive sigh.
"I think the damage to my reputation has
already been done, don’t you? Whether I’m your whore for a day or a month?
Chronological length of time makes no difference to society’s dictates. Once a
whore always a whore? Um, Captain?"
"Rose…I…" Fighting for words, Jack
held up his hands as if to say something important but let them fall back at
his sides in defeat.
Interrupting his failing sentence, "But
never a proposal of marriage. Is that it, Captain? Nanny must have been on your
case pretty hard today. Don’t look surprised. I’m not an idiot, I’m just
somewhat surprised she hasn’t cornered you before now, that’s all." With a
caustic laugh she crossed her arms and peered at him with glittering chips of
green ice.
"Trying to do the honorable thing and
soothe your conscience, is that it?" She continually prodded the stunned
Captain. She knew he was struggling with something and was becoming
increasingly impatient with his dumbfounded silence.
"Rose, if it’ll make things right, I’ll
just marry you. Okay?" There, he had said it, but not exactly the way he
had intended. Shit! In fact, that hadn’t come out right at all! He
cringed at the regrettable realization of his faux paux and cursed under his
breath in self-loathing.
An incredulous expression passed across
Rose’s offended visage before she began hilariously laughing. But a very
unpleasant derisive cold laugh that was intentionally meant to cut to the
quick.
"That must’ve been very hard for you,
Captain Dalton. I realize that and I appreciate your very generous offer.
Wow, I’m totally flattered by your sincere proposal. And especially persuaded
by the look of dread on your face as you waited for my answer just now. But
don’t worry, Captain, I’d never tie a man to me for simple honor’s sake. A man
will have to truly love and respect me to ever place a ring on my finger. After
my elusive angel took care of Cal for me, I owe him that at least!
Besides, I’ll never have those from you, no?" Rose unexpectedly
challenged.
Jack gulped fighting hard to get enough air
in his strained lungs. He simultaneously waxed both hot and cold, his blood
swirling around like an inside anatomical tornado. Her angel? God, the irony
of the hellish situation he now found himself in was incredibly daunting!
Averting his stormy eyes, wanting to deny her words but unable to reveal to her
something he didn’t quite understand himself. He felt like an illiterate moron,
struggling with evasive words that jumbled around in his spinning mind that he
couldn’t quite grasp and utter in an intelligent order.
"I’m not like other women,
Captain," Rose suddenly reaffirmed.
"True," Jack hastily interjected
relieved to finally find at least one word in his failing vocabulary to respond
with.
"What I mean, I’m not regretful or
ashamed of our ‘arrangement’ here. There’s nothing wrong in my eyes with two
unattached people finding comfort with one another, do you?"
Finding his tongue at last he answered yet
with a ridiculing tone in stark evidence. "Let’s just say I don’t think
it’s proper or right for a young genteel lady to sleep around with every man in
Texas and Louisiana for that matter."
Grinning mischievously finally realizing she
had him right where she wanted right then, "Well, I hardly think one damn,
dirty Army Captain warrants the whole male population, especially when he
doesn’t have the honorable distinction of being Texan…or even Cajun for that
matter."
"I’m weary of this talk, Rose."
Jack was mentally exhausted and rubbed the back of his neck to relieve some of
the tenseness in the cording of his muscles.
Agilely springing off the rail, Rose
seductively glided to stand chest to knees in front of the infuriating Captain.
Staring up into hooded smoldering eyes, in a low throaty whisper she
breathlessly murmured, "Truthfully, I don’t wish to sleep alone, Captain
Dalton. I am like you in a way. Once is never enough."
Staring for one intense moment into magnetic
emerald orbs of desire, Jack suddenly swept her up under the knees, holding her
close to his pounding heart. Relieved so much he thought he might explode from
the giddiness of his reeling senses. Interlocking gazes, he thickly declared,
"Shit, Rose, thrice is never enough for me! Are you sure about this?"
Lightly rubbing a slender index finger across
his sensual lips, she huskily whispered, "I’m not sure about anything
anymore, Captain, except that I want you right now."
"Well, I’m sure about something, too. I
didn’t get my fill earlier and I didn’t get to dance with you enough
tonight." Tenderly touching his lips to hers for barely an instant, his
teeth then gently tugged and teased on Rose’s full bottom garnet lips.
"I’m weary of this talk, Captain.
Perhaps a little mattress dancing will dull that ache, no?" She saucily
giggled before passionately pulling his mouth to hers again and rendering him
senseless with a heated breath-stealing kiss.
Jack made love to Rose with his hungry mouth
and then proceeded to slowly undress her. Slipping under the covers, Rose
watched in awe as he hastily shucked his uniform before sliding in to join her.
Turning onto his side, he gently pulled her to him so her back was against his
bronzed heaving chest. Reaching around to her tingling breasts, he ardently
began to work his magic on her aroused body before playfully nipping at her
sensitive ear lobe. Rose sensually arched her back and subtly wiggled her hips
against his swollen man’s flesh teasing him to make penetration. Gliding his
large strong hand down over her flat stomach, Jack raised one of her legs and
forcefully thrust inside her warm moist womanly sheath.
"Mmm…that’s what I adore about you,
Rose. Always ready for me," Jack seductively growled, his hot panting
breath sending rivulets of chills coursing through her veins.
"Is that what you feel, Captain Dalton?
Adoration?" Rose softly teased.
"Don’t push your luck, mia. I adore
puppies, babies, and fussy ole’ black Nannies, too!"
"God, I despise you, Captain!" Rose
throatily whispered yet the reflections in her sage green eyes told him quite
differently.
"Kiss me, Rose. And hold on," Jack
softly commanded in a breathy sigh of desire.